Temperature control for crank-case oil



JanLfi, 1931. F. A. METTLER 1 1,788,117

TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR CRANK CASE OIL I Filed June 17, 1929 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Jn. a, 19st F. A. ME'TTLER 1,788,117

TEMPERATURE CON 'IROL FOR CRANK CASE OIL Filed June 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A FAJkZZZez;

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 STATES am A. METTLER, OF EMEBY, SOUTH DAKOTA TERATURE CONTROL FOB CRANK-CASE OIL Application filed June 17, 1928. Serial No. 871,812.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus applicable to the auto vehicle engine by means of which the temperature of the oil in the crank case may be controlled- 5 that is to say, heated when the atmospheric temperature is low enough to cause congealment, or cooled when atmospheric temperature is sufiicient, together with the temperature of the engine when running, to burn the "l oil or make it too fluid for efiective lubrication; to provide equipment of this character in which the cooling and heating efiects may be selectively secured by the operator in his position in the drivers seat; and to provide a construction which is of simple form and, therefore, susceptible of cheap manufacture and low marketing cost.

With this object in view the invention con- 'sists in a construction and combination of arts of which a preferred embodiment is ilustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating an auto vehicle power plant and a section of the vehicle and showing the invention applied in operative positio Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the fan by which cooling is efiected. 1.30 Figure 3 is a central transverse vertical sectional view of the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the plane 1 indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

. Figure 5 is a central vertical sectional 35 I'view through the control valve.

The equipment comprised in the invention consists of a cooling coil disposed sub- :stantially on the bottom of the oil pan 11,

-fa'n- 18 which is the movable element of the cold air blower is carried on a shaft 19 jouranalled in the casing 17 which is open at the front side as indicated at 20 to provide a center inlet and the fan is rotated by the belt 21 by which the radiator cooling fan 22 is driven, the belt being trained over the pulley 23 carried by the shaft 19.

In the front side of the outlet leg 16 a gate valve 24 is mounted and is movable to either of two positions in one of which it cuts ofl the discharge end of the pipe 15 and directs it through the opening 25 in the down leg, and in the other of which it closes said opening 25 so that the discharge is transferred to the pipe 16 and thence through the coil 10, passing out the rear end 12 of the latter and producing a cooling effect on the oil contained in the pan. The gate valve 24 is actuated by the driver or operator of the vehicle through the instrumentality of certain structure hereinafter described.

The heater 26 consists of a rectangular casing rolled into transversely arcuate form and provided with nipple extensions 27 and 28 at opposite ends, these nipple extensions extending through the oil pan and the one being coupled to the pipe 29 leading from the opposite pipe 30 between which and said pipe communication is controlled by a valve 31. The other nipple extension is coupled to a pipe 32 connected with the exhaust pipe between the valve 33 in the latter and the mufller (not shown). When the valve 31 .is open and the valve 33 closed (which is the relative positions of the two due to the specific construction employed) the exhaust gases pass into the pipe 29, through the heater 26, through the pipe 32 and back into the.v

exhaust pipe and' through'the muflier, thus increasing the fluidity of the oil in the pan, if there is any tendency to congealment du to low temperatures.

The valves 33, 31 and 24 are coordinated;

so that cooling is prevented when heating is desired and vice versa. To this end there is provided a housing 34 disposed just below the floor board 35 and through this housing extends the stem 36 on which the valve 31" is carried, the upper end of the stem extending through the floor board and being provided with a head 37 for the application of pressure to the stem by means of the foot of the operator. The stem is normally elevat-s:

ed by means of a spring 38, this spring tending to move the valve 31 to closed position so as to shut ofl communication between the exhaust tube 30 and the tube 29 but the stem is provided with a notch 39 engageable with the edge of the guide opening in the housing ea when the stem is depressed and the valve 31 unseated, so that the open position of the latter valve may be maintained against the action of the spring 38. The valve 33 is in the form of a butterfly valve and exterior to the exhaust pipe 30 is provided with an actuated arm 40 connected by means of a link 41 with a lever 42, the latter being rockingly mounted in the housing 34 and having a pin and slot connection 43 with the valve stem. en the valve 31 is closed and the stem 36 is elevated, the valve 33 assumes its open position by reason of the lever link connection between the stem and said latter valve. Conversel when the valve 31 is open, the outer end of t e lever 4211s raised and the valve 33 swung to closed position.

The valve 24 is also actuated by the stem 36, a bent lever 44 being pivotally mounted in the housing 34 and havlng a pin and slot connection 45 with the stem 36, the upstanding extremity being connected by means of a long link 46 with the arm 47 of the valve 24. The closed position of the valve 31 and hence the raised position of the stem 36 locks the lever 44 ri ht-handedly on its pivotal mounting and, y reason of the thrust imparted to the link 46 shifts the valve 44 to the position of closure for the opening 25 and eflects communication between the discharge of the fan 18 and the pipe 15, so that cooling air will pass through the coil 10 when the hot gases from the exhaust are prevented from entering the heater 26. The stem 36 thus acts as a means for actuating all the valves to promptly position them to function as describe The invention having been described what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising a cooling coil and a heater for submersion in the oil contained in a crank case, a fan for supplying air to the coil, and a dual valve structure for interposition in the engine exhaust tube, said dual valve structure bein actuahle to direct the exhaust through t e heater or directly through the exhaust tube, the blower having a valve operatively connected with the dual valve structure and coordinated with the latter to shut 0d the discharge from the fan when the exhaust is directed through the heater.

2. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising a cooling coil and a heater for submersion in the oil contained in a crank case, a fan for supplying air to the coil, and a dual valve structure for interposition in the engine exhaust tube, said dual valve structure be 1|; actuable to direct the exhaust mean? through theheater or directly through the exhaust tube, the blower having a valve operatively connected with the dual valve structure and coordinated with the latter to shut ofl the discharge from the fan when the exhaust is directed through the heater, and vice versa.

3. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising a cooling coil and a heater for submersion in the oil contained in a crank case, a fan for supplying air to the coil, and

tube and the heater and a butterfly valve mounted in the exhaust tube and operatively connected with said latter valve.

4."An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising a cooling coil and a heater for submersion in the oil contained in a crank case, a fan for supplying air to the coil, and a dual valve structure for interposition in the engine exhaust tube, said dual valve structure being actuable to direct the exhaust through the heater or directly through the exhaust tube, the blower having a valve oper-- atively connected with the dual valve structure. and coordinated with the latter to shut ofi the discharge from the fan when the exhaust is directed through the heater, the dual valve structure consisting of a valve controlling communication between the exhaust tube and the heater, a butterfly valve mounted in the exhaust tube, a spring actuated stem connected with the first said valve, a pivotally mounted lever having a pin and slot connec tion with said stem and a link connection with the butterfly valve.

5. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising a cooling coil and a heater for submersion in the oil contained in a crank case, a fan for supplying air to the coil, and a dual valve structure for interposition in the engine exhaust tube, said dual valve struc ture being actuable to direct the exhaust through the heater or directlythrough the exhaust tube, the blower having a valve operatively connected with the dual valve structure and coordinated with the latter to shut ofl the discharge from the fan when the exhaust is directed through the heater, the: dual valve structure consisting of a valve controlling communication between the exhaust tube and the heater, a butterfly valve mounted in the exhaust tube, a spring actuated stem connected with the first said valve, a pivotally mounted lever having a pin and slot connection with said stem and a link connection with the butterfly valve, and the operative connection between the blower valve and the dual valve structure consisting of a butterfly mounted lever having a pin and slot connection with said valve stem, and a link connection between said lever and said blower valve.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his sign nature.

FRED A. METTLER. 

